SOLEDAD CARRILLO - Stuck in a Schmuck - A True Story

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Stanley

A personal narrative by Soledad Carrillo recounting how a dismissive phrase—"stuck in a schmuck"—shaped her experience with a child’s special education support. The book frames her journey from frustration and helplessness toward advocacy, learning to assert parental rights, and communicating with educators. It includes reflections on IEP meetings and the contrast between supportive and indifferent teams, aiming to help families feel heard and to encourage teachers to listen to special-needs students’ needs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages60

Reading Time1 h 32 min

AccessFree to download

Another IEP

# SOLEDAD CARRILLO STUCKIN A SCHMUCKA THUE STOHY Digitized by the Internet Archivein 2021 with funding fromKahle/Austin Foundation STUCKIN AA TRUE STORY SOLEDAD CARRILLO authorHOUSE° AuthorHouse1663Liberty DriveBloomington,IN 47403www.authorhouse.comPhone:1(800)839-8640 ◎2018 Soledad Carrillo.All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system,ortransmitted by any means without the written permission of the author. Published by AuthorHouse 04/19/2018 ISBN:978-1-5462-3910-9(sc) ISBN:978-1-5462-3909-3(e) Library of Congress Control Number:2018904876 Print information available on the last page. Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,and such images are being used forillustrative purposes only.Certain stock imagery ◎Getty Images. This book is printed on acid-free paper. Because ofthe dynamic nature of the Internet,any web addresses orlinks contained in this book may have changed sincepublication andmay no longer be valid.The views expressed in this work are solely thoseof the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher;and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them. Stuck in a schmuck—that's a phrase I'llalways remember.What does it mean?Hmmm.When I first heard it,itmeant no hope,give up,or sorry,you're out ofluck.It mademe feel helpless,useless,tired,crazy,angry,and frustrated. Did the person who directed that phrase at me simplymean,“Sorry,I can't help you”?It would have been muchmore professional of her if she had said that consideringshe was supposed to advocate for children in the specialeducation department.But she chose to tell me,"I’msorry,but you're just stuck in a schmuck.” Keep in mind that I had been anxiously waitingto hear from her for the previous ten days and I wasanticipating good news.After that long wait and finallygetting a call from her after having left several urgentmessages on her voicemail,I was told I was simply stuckin a schmuck. I had never heard that phrase before.What did herwords mean?Since several months have passed,I haverealized that this person was really telling me,"Go away.Don't bother me.I don't care about you or your child."Atleast that is what it felt like the day I got the call. I was going to dedicate this book to her,who shallremain anonymous.She knows who she is.However,Idedicate this book to my three children—Ana,my oldest,Eddie,my middle child,and Belle,my youngest.Theyinspired me to share our story. Because of them,I have discovered another side of me.Iam not just a mother;I am also an advocate.I had to learnto assert my rights as a parent of a child with a learningdisability.I had to learn that it was okay to disagree with ateacher,a principal,or a student counselor.I come from aculture that views teachers with such respect that it can beconsidered disrespectful to disagree with them,but I sayto all the parents out there whose children have learningdisabilities that it's okay to agree to disagree. I want to believe that when children have learningdisabilities,the majority of the educational team willsearch for the best plan to help them learn successfully.I experienced such a team with Eddie,but I experiencedquite the opposite with Belle.I share our story to helpfamilies who are feeling lost,unheard,and frustratedunderstand that they have a say-so in their children'seducational plan.I also hope our story will catch theattention of teachers so they will listen to the needs ofspecial-needs children and their families. Belle was briefly a middle school dropout because ofthe lack of support we received from her school.I hopeour story is one of the few and that the percentage ofindifferent teachers in special education departments arebut a handful and that their indifference will not make adifference any longer. ## Another IEP It's February 24,2010.I'm meeting for the first time withmy child's teachers regarding her progress and h

FAQs

What does the phrase "stuck in a schmuck" mean to the author?

It is described as conveying no hope and giving up, leaving the author feeling helpless, useless, tired, crazy, angry, and frustrated.

How does the book explain the author’s shift from frustration to advocacy?

The author learns to assert her rights as a parent of a child with a learning disability and to disagree when needed with teachers, a principal, or a counselor.

What is the purpose of sharing the author’s story?

It is shared to help families who feel lost, unheard, and frustrated understand they have a say in their children’s educational plan and to encourage teachers to listen.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Stanley